abstention
7
6.8
- noun
- /æbˈstɛnʃən/
:
abstención
- The motion passed with 157 votes in favor, zero against, and 18 abstentions.
- abstention rate
- voter abstention
- level of abstention
Examples
-
The vote on the resolution, which required a two-thirds majority to pass, included several abstentions.
Blog text (26) -
The count being 12 to none with one abstention, the resolution on independence is adopted.
-
We have one abstention so far.
-
The motion to get on with it passed with one abstention.
-
Motion carried, nine to two, one abstention.
Fiction book (2001) -
The vote was 20 in favor of continuing the trial and 10 against, with two abstentions.
Blog text (1) -
In the most recent constitutional referendum (conducted by the military in 1983), the rate of abstention was only 36%.
Academic text (1993) -
More than 800,000 eligible voters stayed home, giving the referendum the highest abstention rate in Panamanian history.
Academic text (1993) -
The final vote in the German Parliament on the reparations treaty was 236 in favor, thirty-five opposed, and eighty-six abstentions.
Academic text (2006) -
During the meeting, there was one abstention from a member who preferred not to vote on the proposal.
Synonyms
1
6.1
Not taking part in an activity with other people
Refusing to take part in official votes or meetings for political reasons
A choice to avoid something on purpose
Not taking part in an activity, especially when others do it together
Antonyms
Compounds
How Intentional
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Abstention comes from the Latin parts ab- 'away' and tenere 'to hold', so it means 'holding back'. A helpful way to remember the voting sense is to think of abstain, which is to 'hold back', so an abstention is when you do not cast a vote.